Fulfill Your Purpose: Become a Messenger of God’s Teachings

During life’s journey, as we rush through our daily routines, working to provide for our families and loved ones, we often find ourselves in doubt with a fundamental question: Are we truly fulfilling our purpose? This doubt can creep in, making us wonder if we’re merely getting lost in our obligations. It’s a universal concern that deserves our attention. We should pause to reflect on the meaning behind our actions. Are we aligning our daily choices with our deeper mission in life?

We ask these questions because the pursuit of purpose is an innate human need. We yearn for more than a hedonistic existence where pleasure and self-indulgence reign. Such a lifestyle, while momentarily gratifying, leaves our souls unfulfilled, and we witness the harmful consequences it can bring.

History offers a cautionary tale in the fall of the Roman Empire, often attributed in part to an excessive focus on pleasure and indulgence. It serves as a stark reminder that a life solely devoted to self-gratification can lead to decline and downfall.

So, amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, let us not forget to ask ourselves: What is the purpose in all that we do? Are our actions nourishing our mission in this world, that innate drive to lead a life of meaning and purpose?

Now, imagine a life where we actively embrace our purpose, where we aspire to be a guiding light, and where we have the power to not only transform our own lives but also the lives of those around us. What if there exists a single action that provides us with a direct path to fulfilling our purpose and grants us the chance to infuse meaningful moments into our everyday existence? The truth is, such an action exists, and it lies at the heart of one of the pivotal messages in Parsha Yitro.

Torah Portion Yitro: Divine Message

Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, pays a visit to Moses and the Israelites in the desert, drawn by the remarkable miracles God has performed for them. He witnesses Moses’ process of sitting and counseling the people, a sight that piques his curiosity and prompts him to inquire about its purpose. In response, Moses declares:

                                                                      “For the people come to me to seek God.”

Here, Moses is fulfilling his mission as the intermediary between the people and God’s teachings. The Israelites, thirsty for understanding, curious about this divine entity and to comprehend His will, particularly how they should conduct themselves.

However, the task was tremendous. Even with direct knowledge from God, Moses could not singlehandedly address the needs of the entire community. The difficulty of sitting with each individual one by one became apparent.

It is at this juncture that Yitro’s wise counsel comes into play, proving to be a pivotal moment. His guidance becomes the catalyst that allows the next steps in the journey to unfold.

Taking Yitro’s advice to heart, Moses takes decisive action by establishing a structured system within his process. He appoints individuals to assist him, essentially creating a judicial system. These chosen men and leaders are entrusted with the responsibility of imparting justice and resolving disputes among the Israelites.

The impact of Yitro’s counsel cannot be overstated. It holds such significance that an entire Torah portion is named after him. Yitro’s wisdom and guidance proved instrumental in facilitating Moses’s mission of imparting God’s teachings and moral principles to the Israelites. Yitro’s counsel made the fulfillment of the mission possible, allowing for a more organized and efficient approach to sharing divine guidance by delegation and the distribution of responsibilities among individuals.

The Birth of A Holy Nation

With the newly established system in place, God conveys a significant message to Moses, instructing the Israelites to prepare themselves. They are about to hear His words, and through these divine utterances, God will communicate His expectations and the mission He has in store for the Jewish nation. God’s message is clear:

                                                   “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of princes and a holy nation.”

This declaration signifies the establishment of a unique and special relationship between God and the Jewish nation. God’s desire is for the Jewish people to attain a state of holiness, and the depth of this term “holy” deserves special attention.

Holiness implies more than just purity; it signifies being set apart and designated for a specific purpose. To be holy is to have a clear, distinct purpose that sets one apart from the ordinary, designating them for a higher calling and mission. To be holy is to be purposeful.

God sets the Israelites apart and designates them with a specific purpose. His intention is for the Jewish Nation to conduct themselves in alignment with divine values and serve as an exemplar to other nations. This encompasses upholding elevated standards of ethics and moral principles.

The Jewish people are entrusted with a sacred mission: to teach and impart God’s message to the entire world. This mission goes beyond merely adhering to God’s laws; it extends to the responsibility of being a beacon of light for all nations, illuminating the path of righteousness and inspiring others to live in accordance with God’s divine will.

For this mission to be realized, it was imperative that Moses’s role be distributed and shared among the people. Moses, along with the entire Jewish community, serves as a bridge, connecting individuals to the divine message. They are tasked with the crucial duty of transmitting God’s teachings and moral guidance to the world, ensuring that the divine message reaches and touches the hearts of all who seek it.

The Revelation at Sinai

What unfolds in this moment in history is a world-altering event: the giving of the Ten Commandments. These commandments stand as the cornerstone of ethical living, providing the framework for a life imbue in morality and elevated ethical standards. Through these divine utterances, God imparts moral guidelines to humanity.

The Ten Commandments serve as the very conduit through which individuals can lead a life marked by righteousness. They represent the foundational principles that guide one’s path toward moral and ethical excellence.

The Jewish people, having received the Ten Commandments, are entrusted with a mission: to pave the way for a world characterized by righteousness, justice, and compassion—a manifestation of heaven on earth. By adhering to these commandments, Jews have the capacity to embody God’s teachings and align their lives with His divine will. In doing so, they set an example for other nations, sharing the boundless wisdom and guidance of God.

In essence, the purpose of the Jewish people is to immerse themselves in the study of God’s teachings and, in turn, share this knowledge to the world.

Spiritual Messenger: Fulfill Your Purpose

Moses’s mission, which aimed to bridge the gap between the divine message and humanity, evolved into the communal mission of the Jewish nation, guided by Yitro’s wisdom. However, let’s be clear: the ultimate mission transcends the boundaries of any single group. It is a universal aspiration to manifest God’s will by cultivating a society characterized by righteousness, justice, and kindness. This mission may initially seem to fall upon the Jewish people, but, in reality, it is the mission of all humanity: to be beacons of light and agents of transformation in their surroundings.

Your personal purpose is to assume the role of a messenger, conveying God’s teachings to the world. Through your mission you will share His words and his divine will, actively working towards the realization of a world marked by peace, justice, kindness, beauty, love, and laughter. Your calling is to inspire and uplift those around you, whether they are your neighbors, colleagues, or even strangers, encouraging them to strive for greater goodness.

This purpose extends beyond mere words; it involves the sharing of knowledge, skills, and even the wisdom gained from overcoming personal challenges. The holy nation and their teachings serve as a conduit, cascading moral values and knowledge to all of humanity, igniting a ripple effect of positive change across the world.

Purpose Driven Life

Living a life with the conscious intent to impart the knowledge and wisdom we possess to others not only signifies the fulfillment of our purpose but also enriches our own existence with profound meaning and purpose. In those moments when we find ourselves grappling with uncertainty amidst the everyday challenges, questioning whether we are truly fulfilling our mission in this world, the solution is remarkably simple.

Engaging in acts of kindness gives the clarity we seek. It may be as simple as sharing a valuable lesson in acts of kindness or in God’s principles with a friend. It could mean extending a helping hand to a neighbor in need, generously offering compliments, or brightening someone’s day with a heartfelt smile. These actions not only reaffirm our purpose but also remind us of the profound impact we can have on the world and the lives of those around us.

In today’s era of social media, the act of teaching and sharing our message has not only become more accessible but has also evolved into the norm. To truly fulfill your purpose, it’s imperative to approach this task with the intent of elevating the world through your teachings. When we embark on this journey with such an intention, the entire dynamic undergoes a profound transformation. It shifts from a self-centered endeavor to a selfless contribution, wherein we actively play our part in bettering the world.

Rest assured, each one of us possesses something valuable to impart to others. Our world is teeming with opportunities to fulfill our divine mission, which entails serving, inspiring, and spreading goodness. A life devoid of purpose is a life merely existing, for it is through purpose that we connect to the ultimate source of energy. Our vitality is most felt when we are in alignment with our purpose, infusing both our work and interactions with others with divine moments that leave us exhilarated.

This reality is not a dream; it can be a daily, immersive experience. We all have the power to infuse our lives with meaning and to fulfill our purpose by becoming messengers and ambassadors of love, kindness, and light in the world.

Humanity was imbued with a divine mission: become teachers of God’s teachings, to embody His will and commandments. These commandments encapsulate principles such as refraining from theft, murder, envy of others, observing a day of complete rest, and showing respect to parents and elders. Above all, it calls for unwavering faith and trust in a singular, supreme higher power, under the assurance that this faith will guide us toward goodness and righteousness.